(Miami) Three of the four highest ranked American tennis players were eliminated on Saturday in the second round of the Masters 1000 in Miami.
Taylor Fritz, the best American in the ATP rankings, 13e world player and seeded N.12 in Florida, was beaten in two sets by the Brazilian Thiago Seyboth, who came out of qualifying, 6-3, 6-4.
His compatriot Tommy Paul, injured in an ankle, gave up at the start of the second set against his compatriot Martin Damm Jr, 204e at the ATP invited by the tournament organizers. Paul, 14e world player, had won the first set 6-4 and was trailing 2-1 when he gave up continuing the match.
Frances Tiafoe, 22e World Cup, whose match started three hours late due to rain, was defeated by Australian Christopher O’Connell in two hard-fought sets 7-5, 7-6 (7/5).
In the women’s draw, the American Jessica Pegula, 5e in the WTA world rankings, overcame the obstacle of the second round at the expense of the Chinese Zhu Li, who retired while trailing 6-4, 4-1.